# Direct TV vs. Viacom - I want my MTV! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 11, 2012, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869 "2012-07-11T05:07:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/41 "2012-07-12T19:21:55Z")
> [@Mauvaise](#): > > I hate to get all Straight Dope on you, but: cite? > > I’m not saying that there aren’t people that watch it, but I’m having a lot of trouble swallowing that Nick is “the most watched cable channel on DTV”. It was in the NY Times article on the controversy yesterday. Mind you I said most watched cable channel, not most watched channel. Aha - [this article](http://money.cnn.com/2012/07/11/technology/directv-viacom/?source=cnn_bin) says > [@](#): > > Viacom owns eight of the top 30 cable networks, according to Nomura Securities. Nickelodeon, Viacom’s children’s programming network, is the country’s most-watched cable channel. The Times article was more direct about it being the most watched on DTV, but this should be good enough. Makes sense to me - when my kids were little it was the most watched network in our house. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/42 "2012-07-13T14:52:37Z")
I’m sure DirecTV will lower my bill now that I don’t get these channels. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2012, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/43 "2012-07-14T04:42:24Z")
Well, it ain’t all that much when you look at the programming, but I just discovered this small compensatory gesture from DirecTV: > [@](#): > > \*\*DIRECTV offers the following previews to all its residential customers: > \*\*- 8 Encore Channels thru July 31st. See Channels 535 to 542. > > - PBS Sprout (Ch 295) > > - The Hub (Ch 294) > > - TV One (Ch 328) > > - Fuse (Ch 339) > … are available during the Viacom dispute. > > - MLB Extra Innings and MLB Network Strike Zone thru July 19th. See Channels 719 to 749. [http://www.directvpromise.com/other-ways-to-watch/](http://www.directvpromise.com/other-ways-to-watch/) ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/44 "2012-07-14T22:57:43Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > Well, it ain’t all that much when you look at the programming, but I just discovered this small compensatory gesture from DirecTV: > > > [@](#): > > > > DIRECTV offers the following previews to all its residential customers: > > > > - 8 Encore Channels thru July 31st. See Channels 535 to 542. > > > > - PBS Sprout (Ch 295) > > > > - The Hub (Ch 294) > > > > - TV One (Ch 328) > > > > - Fuse (Ch 339) > > … are available during the Viacom dispute. > > > > - MLB Extra Innings and MLB Network Strike Zone thru July 19th. See Channels 719 to 749. > > [http://www.directvpromise.com/other-ways-to-watch/](http://www.directvpromise.com/other-ways-to-watch/) Sounds like great compensation for those customers already getting a package including those channels. Much as I don’t like Comcast, at least we’ve never lost any stations over this sort of nonsense. Any time there’s been a dispute it’s wound up getting resolved before the plug got pulled. I have to say, when watching Talking Dead last week, I found it a bit assholish the way every commercial for Breaking Bad or Walking Dead had some tag line “Available on cable and satellite. NOT AVAILABLE ON DISH”. Uh, Dish people aren’t even seeing your little temper tantrum, I already have cable am I supposed to go “YAY ME!” or something? Idiots. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/45 "2012-07-15T01:36:41Z")
> [@buttercup5204](#): > > i say let them break up their packages, i dont need 30 different espn’s, nick, mtv, vh1 or many other channels, id love to do a custom package so i pay exactly for what i want You probably would end up worse off for doing this, as an a la carte pricing system would have to charge exorbitant rates for each channel. People always look at it in terms of how much they’re paying and how many channels they’re getting, and thinking “I’d only keep 5% of the channels I get now, so my bill would only be 5% of what I’m currently paying!” In reality, you’d end up with 5% of the channels you have now while paying the same amount or more as you already do. Heck, CBS would probably cost $10 a month all by itself. > [@aceplace57](#): > > I think Viacom is taking one heck of a risk. These channels aren’t that popular anyway. I haven’t watched MTV since the Osbournes went off years ago. Comedy Central?? I watch maybe once a month. > > DirecTV needs to stand firm. Viacom needs an audience for their channels or they go out of business. DirecTV has plenty of content without Viacom. Viacom has plenty of viewers without DirecTV. You greatly underestimate Viacom’s popularity. Both Comedy Central and MTV are firmly entrenched in the cultural zeitgeist. I doubt many of us here watch Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, or Keeping Up With The Kardashians, but how many of us have never heard of them? ---
**Author:** ![D-bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@D-bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D-bear)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/46 "2012-07-15T03:10:24Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Viacom has plenty of viewers without DirecTV. > > You greatly underestimate Viacom’s popularity. Both Comedy Central and MTV are firmly entrenched in the cultural zeitgeist. I doubt many of us here watch Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, or Keeping Up With The Kardashians, but how many of us have never heard of them? Get a Roku and pay 8 bucks a month for Hulu Plus. I’m not on any cable or satellite teat and I’m current on Tosh.0 and Teen Wolf. Haven’t paid over 16 bucks for T.V. in over a year. ($8 for Netflix and $8 for Hulu plus) ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/47 "2012-07-15T03:17:06Z")
Thinking in-depth about the business dynamics of this, I just realized how little I know about the particulars. So all these Viacom channels air commercials, but how is that advertising revenue distributed? Does Viacom get it all? DirecTV? The way I suspect it works is that Viacom sells their own advertising for x% of the commercials, and DirecTV sells advertising for the remaining % of the commercials. If so, what’s the split? But on top of the advertising revenue, Viacom also charges DirecTV for the privilege of distributing their content/advertising. (Nice arrangement!) And of course, we viewers pay DirecTV for the privilege of watching the content while being solicited by both(?) company’s advertisements. So, what parts of that did I get wrong, and what parts are right? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/48 "2012-07-15T09:13:25Z")
> [@D-bear](#): > > Get a Roku and pay 8 bucks a month for Hulu Plus. I’m not on any cable or satellite teat and I’m current on Tosh.0 and Teen Wolf. Haven’t paid over 16 bucks for T.V. in over a year. ($8 for Netflix and $8 for Hulu plus) I was arguing against the idea that Comedy Central and MTV have become irrelevant. I have no opinion on the viability of switching to the internet for all your tv. Though one thing I do remember a buddy saying a while ago, maybe early 2000s. We were talking about the cablevision bundle of cable, internet and phone all in one and my buddy was reluctant, saying “And now I have to send a car payment to the cable company?” I love that comparison. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/49 "2012-07-15T22:08:47Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Heck, CBS would probably cost $10 a month all by itself. I doubt it, considering people could just buy an antenna and get CBS by itself for free. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/50 "2012-07-16T01:36:04Z")
I have DirecTV. I’ve actually been watching Hub. I don’t watch any of the missing Viacom channels. So… keep sticking it to Viacom, DirecTV! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/51 "2012-07-16T01:56:24Z")
Logo is on that list…forget about MTV, I want my Drag Race and Drag U!! ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/52 "2012-07-20T23:29:50Z")
[They reconciled.](http://www.directvpromise.com/) Comedy Central is back! (I couldn’t care less about any of the other channels…) One cool result of this is that the agreement included streaming of Viacom’s content via the \*DirecTV Everywhere \*platform, which means you can watch Viacom shows on your PC, tablet, and smartphone. “Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.” So they can both claim a win. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869/53 "2012-07-21T00:13:18Z")
DirecTV was still being pissy in their letter to subscribers about the new agreement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-tv-vs-viacom-i-want-my-mtv/627869.md?page=2)